Quarterbacks will Dominate The 2nd Round: My 2013 NFL 2nd Round Mock Draft

West Virginia quarterback, Geno Smith was a first round
projection, but his name remains as one of the many undrafted.
Picture Courtesy: nfl.com

As the first round concluded, we saw only one quarterback get draft, which was a shocker in Florida State quarterback, EJ Manuel going 16th overall to the Buffalo Bills. Tonight, we'll see Geno Smith and Matt Barkley also go. Find out where by check out my second round mock draft below:

*NOTE*: This does not include any trades.

33) Jaguars - Ryan Nassib QB Syracuse
34) 49ers - Kewann Short DT Purdue
35) Eagles - Geno Smith QB West Virginia
36) Lions - Justin Hunter WR Tennessee
37) Bengals - Jamar Taylor CB Boise State
38) Cardinals - Robert Woods WR USC
39) Jets - Matt Barkley QB USC
40) Titans - Bjoern Werner DE Florida State
41) Bills - Menelik Watson OT Florida State
42) Dolphins - Keenan Allen WR California
43) Buccaneers - Eddie Lacy RB Alabama
44) Panthers - Jonathan Banks CB Mississippi State
45) Chargers - John Cyprien S Florida International
46) Rams - Jonathan Jenkins DT Georgia
47) Cowboys - Arthur Brown OLB Kansas State
48) Steelers - Montee Ball RB Wisconsin
49) Giants - Kevin Minter ILB LSU
50) Bears - Manti Te'o ILB Notre Dame
51) Redskins - Terron Armstead OT Arkansas Pine-Bluff
52) Vikings - D.J. Swearinger S South Carolina
53) Bengals - Sio Moore OLB UConn
54) Dolphins - Aaron Dobson WR Marshall
55) Packers - Khaseem Greene OLB Rutgers
56) Seahawks - Cornellius Carradine DE Florida State
57) Texans - Jesse Williams DT Alabama
58) Broncos - Blidi Wreh-Wilscon CB UConn
59) Patriots - Margus Hunt DE Southern Methodist
60) Falcons - Zach Ertz TE Stanford
61) 49ers - Jonathan Hankins DT Ohio State
62) Ravens - Brian Winters G Kent State

Kansas City Chiefs Make Central Michigan's Eric Fisher First Overall Selection in 2013 NFL Draft

Eric Fisher following the 24-21 victory over Western
Kentucky at Ford Field in Detroit.
Picture Courtesy: My own photo following the game

When you ask how many offers Eric Fisher had coming out of Rochester Stoney Creek High School, you'll get a simple response. Two. Fisher held offers from Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan coming out of high school, which is an unlikely story if you see where he is now. To start off the 2013 NFL Draft, the Kansas City Chiefs made Fisher the first overall draft pick. Fisher's story is somewhat of a fairy tale when you consider the former 48th overall Michigan high school selection is now the first overall draft pick in the NFL.

Fisher's motivation has been not only to put Central Michigan University on the map, but also the Mid-American Conference. By being drafted first overall, Fisher obviously is the highest Mid-American Conference player ever drafted, and becomes Central Michigan University's second ever first round selection after Rockford's Joe Staley was selected 28th overall in 2007 by the San Francisco 49ers.

The 3rd team All-American selection helped lead Central Michigan to a 7-6 season after beating Western Kentucky in the Little Caesar's Pizza Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit.

My 2013 NFL Mock Draft

Tonight will kick off the 2013 NFL
Draft, with the stress of all 32 teams
building up as they look to build
strong futures for their teams.

1) Kansas City Chiefs - Eric Fisher OT Central Michigan
I'll be honest, I had Joeckel going to the Chiefs all along, until reports have surfaced that Fisher will be number one, nothing official as of yet.
2) Jacksonville Jaguars - Luke Joeckel OT Texas A&M
Joeckel will now fall to the Jaguars as a blind side protector for Blaine Gabbert, who so far hasn't worked out, but with some protection on the offensive line, and Justin Blackmon returning, Gabbert could improve this season.
3) Oakland Raiders - Shariff Floyd DT Florida
Floyd is a dominant presence on the defensive line, which is something the Raiders have lacked in previous seasons.
4) Philadelphia Eagles - Dion Jordan OLB Oregon
Jordan makes all the sense in the world for the Eagles at four. Chip Kelly, Jordan's head coach last season at Oregon, is now the Eagles head coach. Jordan is an elite pass rusher, but couldn't show that due to the defensive schemes at Oregon dropping him back into coverage.
5) Detroit Lions - Ezekiel Ansah DE BYU
Let me make this clear: I am not a fan of Ansah. I believe down the road, duribility will become a major issue for him. Ansah came from Ghana and had never even watched an American football game. After one productive season, how can he stay healthy and dominate during a 16 game schedule? The upside is certainly there, however.
6) Cleveland Browns - Dee Milliner CB Alabama
I'm a very big fan of Milliner's. Milliner could be the next elite corner in the NFL if he stays healthy, and that may be a big if. The Browns already have a great young corner in Joe Haden of Florida, but this could set their secondary for seasons to come. The Browns are also a possibility to trade this pick and drop in the draft, but if Milliner is available at six, look for them to grab him.
7) Arizona Cardinals - Lane Johnson OT Oklahoma
With such a deep tackle draft, several teams are competing for high picks to snatch up the blind side protectors. Johnson is a very swiftly moving offensive lineman that will provide tremendous protection for newly-acquired and unmobile quarterback, Carson Palmer.
8) San Diego Chargers (Predicted Trade with Buffalo) - D.J. Fluker OT Alabama
With tackles flying off of the board, the Chargers are going to want to trade up to protect Philip Rivers in the future. Fluker is a massive 339 pound offensive lineman that will protect blindsides as well as anyone in the draft.
9) New York Jets - Tavon Austin WR West Virginia
Austin is somebody that I'm extremely high on. He has tremendous hands which will help him become elite as a slot receiever in the NFL. Austin is only an 170 pound wide receiver, but Wes Welker has become great as a slot receiever, which is who I compare Austin to.

10) Tennessee Titans - Chance Warmack G Alabama
Overshadowed by the three elite tackles in the draft, Chance Warmack is an extremely productive guard. Looking to protect Jake Locker, Warmack has the strength and agility to become an elite NFL offensive lineman.
11) Buffalo Bills (Predicted Trade with San Diego) - Ryan Nassib QB Syracuse
The Bills can afford to trade down from their original number eight pick because nobody is willing to take the risk on a quarterback (let alone Ryan Nassib) this early. Nassib is a hometown kid, which hopefully isn't the reason they're leaning toward Nassib over Geno Smith, because I feel Smith will be the better pro.
12) Miami Dolphins - Jonathan Cooper G North Carolina
Jake Long and Jonathan Cooper, that's an elite combination on the offensive line for the Miami Dolphins. Miami could possibly take a cornerback with this pick, but if they want to turn Ryan Tannehill into their long-term quarterback, their first need should be to protect him for the future.
13) New York Jets - Barkevious Mingo OLB LSU
The Jets have certainly lacked a tremendous pass rusher over the past few seasons, but that's only one of their worries. This team needs to start filling needs somewhere, that's why I like Mingo at nine.
14) Carolina Panthers - Star Lotulelei DT Utah
Lotulelei has dropped on many draft boards due to the rising of Shariff Floyd of Florida. Carolina will look to bolster their front seven on defense with Defensive Rookie of the Year, Luke Kuechly and now adding Star Lotulelei, in my opinion.
15) New Orleans Saints - Alex Okafor OLB Texas
Okafor is a great edge rusher in a 3/4 defensive scheme, or can be used as a defensive end in a 4/3 scheme. The Saints will look to use Okafor in their great number of blitzes.
16) St. Louis Rams - Tyler Eifert TE Notre Dame
Eifert may possibly have the best hands in the draft. After a very productive season at Notre Dame, Eifert should instantly become one of the elite pros in the NFL. With Sam Bradford, the Rams will look to add weapons around him. Eifert would be a better selection over any of the remaining wide receivers on the board.
17) Pittsburgh Steelers - Eddie Lacy RB Alabama
Eddie Lacy just adds to the names of productive Alabama running backs over the previous few seasons. Lacy was nearly as productive as Trent Richardson, but has lost stock due to the deep runningback draft. Eddie Lacy fits the Steelers scheme perfectly; a down hill runner who leads with his shoulders and has the strength to break tackles.
18) Dallas Cowboys - Kenny Vaccaro S Texas
Vaccaro will remain right at home after playing his college ball at Texas. The Cowboys will look to add to their secondary by adding Vacarro, who is a speed threat in the secondary who can attack the ball in the air, and swarm runners breaking free.
19) New York Giants - Menelik Watson T Florida State
Watson may be a reach here at 19 for the Giants. IF they keep this pick and don't trade it, they may take Watson, who is rated as the fifth best tackle in the draft. It's possibly the Giants look toward the second or third rounds to fill the offensive tackle need, but if they want to protect Eli Manning as they have done, Watson would be a fine fit.
20) Chicago Bears - Manti Te'o ILB Notre Dame
I struggled with this one. Te'o or Jarvis Jones? Several reports say Te'o will not be drafted by the Bears, and that they'll take another linebacker. No matter who they take, expect them to go linebacker in the first round. Jones is a great speed rusher, but Te'o is an elite player who needs to learn how to stay away from play action.
21) Cincinnati Bengals - Matt Elam S Florida
Elam is an interesting choice. Safeties are not deep in this NFL Draft, but it's a need that the Bengals need to fill. Elam is a tremendous safety in coverage, and plays almost as a corner in the passing game.
22) St. Louis Rams - Jonathan Cyprien S Florida International
Cyprien is a quiet player, after all he played at Florida International, however, don't be fooled. This guy can play. Cyprien is a sure tackling safety, but didn't get much media coverage at FIU. He has minor medical concerns, and isn't projected to get until the early second round, but I compare him to a Louis Delmas of the Detroit Lions, who came out of Western Michigan. I see the Bengals snatching him up with this selection.
23) Minnesota Vikings - Sylvester Williams DT North Carolina 
Williams is a hard nosed defensive lineman. He demands double teams on nearly every down, but we'll see how his game translates to the next level. Williams has the size and strength to power through even NFL offensive lines, which is something the Minnesota Vikings like to have.
24) Indianapolis Colts - D.J. Hayden CB Houston
Hayden is really a wildcard pick. Hayden was projected in the top fifteen by some experts, but not even a first round pick by some. He also is questioned due to not facing elite competition in the C-USA. However, the Colts need to fill the cornerback need, and it's not a deep draft for that position.
25) Minnesota Vikings - Cordarrelle Patterson WR Tennessee
Cordarrelle Patterson has dropped lately due to the rising of Tavon Austin. However, the Vikings would like another deep threat to go along with newly-acquired, Greg Jennings. Patterson can stretch the field but needs to desperately improve his route running after just one season at Tennessee.
26) Green Bay Packers - Datone Jones DE UCLA
Datone Jones of UCLA has an elite burst off of the snap, and clears blockers extremely quickly. In a 4-3 scheme, Jones can certainly be a left end, and a good one. He fits in well with the Packers scheme.
27) Houston Texans - DeAndre Hopkins WR Clemson
Hopkins has incredible hands. Quite honestly, the best in the draft. Hopkins needs to get quicker, and needs to be more explosive off of the line, but every team can use wide receivers with great hands, and with Andre Johnson aging, they can certainly use Hopkins.
28) Denver Broncos - Jarvis Jones OLB Georgia
Jarvis Jones is a pure pass rusher. He flies around the edges and gets to the quarterback, creating havoc in the backfield. Jones may drop due to a lack of need a linebacker for some teams, but he can certainly fill some needs for the Broncos, who are quite set on the offensive side of the ball, but can address some issues defensively.
29) New England Patriots - Keenan Allen WR California
The Patriots have picked a wrong time to need wide receivers. This draft isn't known for elite receivers, but they need them. That being said, the best available option would be Keenan Allen. Allen would fit in well, he's not someone who demands the ball, because most passes will be going to the tight ends. However, he'll fit in well after Danny Amendola signed with Pats in free agency.
30) Atlanta Falcons - Xavier Rhodes CB Florida State 
Rhodes is a tremendous pick here for the Falcons. It could be him or Jamar Taylor Boise State with this pick, but the Falcons would like to address the cornerback need here at 30th overall.
31) San Francisco 49ers - Zach Ertz TE Stanford
Zach Ertz has been greatly overshadowed by Tyler Eifert, but is a tremendous find for any team who wants him in the late first, or early second round. Ertz can fit in well with Vernon Davis, as a tremendous blocking tight end. That's if the 49ers don't use this pick and another of their 13 throughout the draft to trade up and find another playmaker.
32) Baltimore Ravens - Kevin Minter ILB LSU
Kevin Minter is interesting here with the Ravens. Following a terrible off-season losing player after player from their Super Bowl Championship team, I think Minter will be a decent fit after the retirement of Ray Lewis.


TOP PLAYERS UNDRAFTED: Justin Hunter, WR, Tennesse; Sheldon Richardson, DT, Missouri; Cornellius Carradine, DE, Florida State; Gavin Escobar, TE, San Diego State; Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia; Matt Barkley, QB, USC; Jamar Taylor, CB, Boise State; Jesse Williams, DT, Alabama

Draft Update: Risks of BYU DE Ezekiel Ansah

Brigham Young DE Ezekiel Ansah has gone from a young
college student who couldn't put shoulder pads on, to a
future millionaire in the NFL.
Picture Courtesy: fannation.com

We all know that Americans love great underdog stories that sports have to offer, but when it comes to risking a top five pick for a story, what is worth it? Brigham Young defensive end, Ezekiel Ansah has quite the story to go with his outstanding draft stock in tonight's NFL draft. Ansah grew up in Accra, Ghana playing soccer and pickup basketball games. He had never seen an American football game.

After Ansah was baptized at age 18, he was introduced to a Mormon missionary from the United States. At the time, Ansah was serious about playing basketball in the United States. When the missionary returned to the United States, he called Ansah and told him to try out at Brigham Young University to play basketball. Ansah applied to BYU, and was accepted.

Ezekiel Ansah tried out for both the 2008 and 2009 Cougar basketball teams, but was cut each time. Despite being cut twice, he didn't give up on sports. He was persuaded to try out for the football team at BYU, and began playing during the 2010 season. After the football season, Ansah also successfully walked on to the track team at BYU and ran a successful 10.91 100 meter dash. Perhaps the explosiveness is a reason for his draft stock being so high.

Ansah has went from a kid who couldn't even put his shoulder pads on the correct way, to a future mutli-millionaire as an NFL player. Maybe it's just me, but do we really expect Ansah to stay durable for sixteen straight games with playoffs as a possibility? I doubt it. You don't come from playing football for the first time to an absolutely superstar, but so far, so good for Ziggy Ansah.

The six-foot, five-inch, 270 lb. African Superstar is staring a top five pick straight in the face as the draft begins tonight. There are several possible landing spots for Ansah, including the Jacksonville Jaguars with the second overall pick, Oakland Raiders at third overall, and the hometown Detroit Lions at fifth overall.

2013 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings

1.       Luke Joeckel OT Texas A&M

2.       Eric Fisher OT Central Michigan

3.       Dion Jordan OLB Oregon

4.       Dee Milliner CB Alabama

5.       Sharriff Floyd DT Florida

6.       Ezekiel Ansah DE BYU

7.       Lane Johnson OT Oklahoma

8.       Barkevious Mingo DE LSU

9.       Chance Warmack OG Alabama

10.   Star Lotulelei DT Utah

11.   Jarvis Jones OLB Georgia

12.   Geno Smith QB West Virginia

13.   Xavier Rhodes CB Florida State

14.   Jonathan Cooper OG North Carolina

15.   Tavon Austin WR West Virginia

16.   Cordarrelle Patterson WR Tennessee

17.   Tyler Eifert TE Notre Dame

18.   Bjoern Warner DE Florida State

19.   Kenny Vaccaro FS Texas

20.   Sheldon Richardson DT Missouri

21.   Sylvester Williams DT North Carolina

22.   Robert Woods WR USC

23.   DJ Fluker OT Alabama

24.   Menelik Watson OT Florida State

25.   Desmond Trufant CB Washington

26.   Matt Elam SS Florida

27.   Eddie Lacy RB Alabama

28.   Keenan Allen WR California

29.   Zach Ertz TE Stanford

30.   Manti Te’o LB Notre Dame

31.   Alec Ogletree OLB Georgia

32.   EJ Manuel QB Florida State

33.   Jonathan Banks CB Mississippi State

34.   Jesse Williams DT Alabama

35.   Arthur Brown OLB Kansas State

36.   Matt Barkley QB USC

37.   DeAndre Hopkins WR Clemson

38.   Ryan Nassib QB Syracuse

39.   Jamar Taylor CB Boise State

40.   DJ Hayden CB Houston

41.   Giovani Bernard RB North Carolina

42.   Alex Okafor DE Texas

43.   Terrance Williams WR Baylor

44.   Montee Ball RB Wisconsin

45.   Kewann Short DE Purdue

46.   Jonathan Franklin RB UCLA

47.   Travis Frederick C Wisconsin

48.   Johnathan Hankins DT Ohio State

49.   Justin Hunter WR Tennessee

50.   Sam Montgomery DE LSU

Detroit Lions Management Impressed by Notre Dame's Manti Te'o

Manti Te'o during the Notre Dame Pro Day on March 26, 2013.
Picture Courtesy: Blogspot.com

If you have followed the Manti Te'o saga, and are a Detroit Lions fan, this article may just make you sick.

After a highly productive senior season at the University of Notre Dame, Te'o quickly became the source of plenty of media attention. The reason? Having a fake girlfriend, and continuing the hoax. Te'o has raised several questions as the NFL approaches, but according to Lions general manager, Martin Mayhew, Te'o has answered all of those questions.

"It was great," said Mayhew, referring to meeting with Te'o at the Notre Dame pro day on March 26 in South Bend. "Very smart guy. Very smart football player. Very personable. Great personality."

According to Mayhew, everything is positive when it comes to Manti Te'o, but is he worthy of the number five overall draft pick? Maybe before the saga, but certainly not now. Currently, Te'o is projected as a late first round pick, but several experts are reporting that many teams are removing Te'o from their draft board, because the risk is just too high. Following his tremendous senior season, Te'o was projected as a top ten NFL draft pick, but his saga and a poor showing in the BCS National Championship against Alabama, has since led to several questions.

The Lions hold the fifth overall pick in Thursday night's NFL draft, which would certainly be too high to draft Te'o, but he could be a target if he were to fall to the second round or if the Lions trade down in the first round. Manti Te'o is listed as a middle linebacker, but if drafted by Detroit, he would most likely be moved to outside linebacker due to the resigning of Stephen Tulloch to a five-year deal this off-season.

Michigan State's Gary Harris to Return for Sophomore Season

Big Ten Freshman of the Year,
Gary Harris will return to East Lansing
for his sophomore season.
Picture: My own from MSU @ U of M

Michigan State's Gary Harris will return next season. Harris announced on Thursday that he will be coming back to East Lansing for his sophomore season, instead of declaring for the NBA draft. Harris, who was a predicted late first round pick, averaged nearly thirteen points a game this season, which was second on the team.


Gary Harris had set many records in his freshman season for Tom Izzo and the Spartans, becoming the first player in program history to be voted Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Harris was also the first freshman in the program to be voted as team MVP by his teammates. Michigan State head coach, Tom Izzo loves the decision, "Gary had a phenomenal freshman season, but his future is even brighter."


Michigan State is still awaiting a decision from Adreian Payne on whether he will return, or forego his senior season for the NBA.

Report: Mitch McGary and Glenn Robinson III Will Return for Sophomore Seasons

Some may have predicted Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. would be leave,
but Glenn Robinson III and Mitch McGary also leaving for the NBA as well?
Reports say not so fast.
Picture Courtesy: isportsweb.com

It was just four days ago that Wooden Award winner, Trey Burke announced he was leaving for the NBA. After his decision, came the domino effect. Three days after Burke's decision, came Tim Hardaway Jr. and his decision to leave for the NBA. Now it has trickled down to the one-year wonders in Ann Arbor. Will Mitch McGary and Glenn Robinson III stay or go? Reports have them both staying.

Thursday morning, Robinson III and McGary called a press conference for Thursday at 4:30 pm. Of course, there's already speculation about their decision, before one was even made. Jeff Goodman of CBS Sports is reporting that the two will stay for a sophomore season. Robinson III and McGary have been best friends before their time in Ann Arbor, playing on the same AAU basketball team during high school, which is the reason why the two tied their decisions together.

Before the final four, McGary had told mlive.com, "I'm 100% staying," but then decided to take back what he had said due to not giving it a lot of thought. Following the Burke and Hardaway announcement, Michigan can still remain a top-ten team if Robinson III and McGary return, due to their positions having little depth. However, one thing that is certain, is the uncertainty. McGary has tweeted, "This is my decision, until I say it, nothing's true." That sentence will leave all of Wolverine Nation on the edge of their seats as they await the news.

The news conference for the two will be held on Thursday at 4:30 pm in Ann Arbor.

Pistons Fire Head Coach Lawrence Frank

Detroit Pistons head coach, Lawrence Frank will
not return for a third season.
Picture Courtesy: Yahoo! Sports

The Detroit Pistons have been one of the laughing stalks of the NBA this season, after finishing with a 29-53 overall record. Less than 24 hours after finishing the season, the Pistons have chosen to fire head coach, Lawrence Frank.  Frank has finished his career in Detroit with a 54-94 combined record after his two seasons.

Pistons team president, Tom Gores reported on Sunday night that he would make quick but thorough decisions on the futures of Lawrence Frank, along with president of basketball operations, Joe Dumars. Gores decided on Thursday morning that Frank was not going to return for a third season in Detroit.

After a poor start to the season, the Pistons front office agreed to a trade which sent Tayshaun Prince and Austin Daye to the Memphis Grizzlies, and brought in Jose Calderon from the Toronto Raptors. Frank's offense just couldn't get going this season, averaging 94.9 points per game, which finished at 21st in the NBA. Despite the poor start to the season, the Pistons may have finished the season even worse, going 1-13 in March, which would ultimately lead to Frank's firing.


There are several pieces that will be returning next season, including Brandon Knight, Greg Monroe, Rodney Stuckey, and possibly Jose Calderon if the team would like him to return. Behind the three young futures of Knight, Monroe, and Stuckey, the team can also look to build on Andre Drummond's stellar end to the season. With the addition of a top ten, lottery pick in this years NBA draft, the only place to go is up in Detroit, as the search for a new coach begins.

Top 2014 Wide Receiver, Drake Harris Officially Commits to Michigan

Five-Star Grand Rapids Christian wide receiver, Drake Harris has officially
committed to the University of Michigan.
Picture Courtesy: mlive.com

It was nearly a year ago that Spartan nation rejoiced after Drake Harris had verbally committed to them. However, they're now thinking about what went wrong.

Grand Rapids Christian wide receiver, Drake Harris was one of the highest recruited players in the class of 2014. A five-star recruit by rivals.com, Harris had offers to nearly every top football program in the country. Harris had verbally committed to Michigan State in June after he was told he could play both football and basketball there. After a few months of thinking, Harris decided it'd be best to only play football, and not play basketball at the next level, despite being a top prospect on the court as well.

Harris announced on Sunday that he was officially committing to the University of Michigan via his Twitter account, leaving several people shocked by his decision. Some thought Urban Meyer would get Drake to commit to Ohio State, others thought he'd stay at Michigan State, but Michigan was one of his favorites all along. Following visits to all three schools, Michigan was his final decision.

The six-foot, four-inch junior put on a show this past season, especially on the way to Grand Rapids Christian's first state championship. Harris caught eight passes for a state finals record of 243 yards, and a touchdown. Harris also became one of twelve players in the country to eclipse 2,000 yards receiving, with 2,016 yards.

Drake Harris is now the fifth commitment in the University of Michigan's 2014 recruiting class, following a class which ranked in the top five after the 2013 signing day.

What's Next For Michigan Basketball?

Zak Irvin, Mr. Basketball Indiana award winner, will look to bring Michigan
back to the national championship next season as a freshman.
Picture Courtesy: usatodayhss.com

Coming off of the first final four appearance for 20 years, Michigan basketball may need to replace several starters from this year's team. The first player looking to bring the team back is Zak Irvin, a six-foot, seven-inch small forward from Hamilton Southeastern high school in Fishers, Indiana. Irvin was named Mr. Basketball in Indiana after averaging 24.6 points per game along with 9 rebounds.

"We have been tracking Zak for four years now, and it has been incredible to watch his overall development," said John Beilein when asked about the 29th ranked overall prospect in the class of 2013.

Another big star coming in will be Detroit Chandler Park Academy point guard, Derrick Walton. Walton may need to help replace Trey Burke, who will most likely announce his decision to go pro in a few short days. Walton was an all-around star for Chandler Park this season, scoring 26.2 points a game along with 10.1 assists, 7.7 rebounds, and 5.4 steals. Trey Burke will be nearly impossible to replace, but after the 17 point performance from Spike Albrecht in the National Championship game, and the fifth overall point guard in the country coming in, Ann Arbor may not have as big of a hole to fill as people think.

Next is Mark Donnal, a six-foot, nine-inch power forward from Whitehouse, Ohio. Donnal has great shooting range, but yet has the ability and toughness to play center and get in the paint. "Mark is very skilled, has the ability to shoot, and is very young, so he will grow into his body," said Michigan Head Coach, John Beilein about Donnal, the thirty-eighth overall power forward in the class.

With several players on the fence of returning to Michigan or leaving for the NBA, Michigan may have many holes to fill. These holes may include Wooden Award Winner, Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway Jr., Glenn Robinson III, and Mitch McGary. Assuming Burke and Hardaway will leave for the NBA, the guards may be awfully important next season. Derrick Walton and Spike Albrecht will likely split time at point guard for the Wolverines, which adds a scoring threat with Walton, but also a spark plug in Albrecht. At shooting guard to replace Hardaway would be the Canadian, Nik Stauskas. Stauskas can shoot the ball from three-point range like few in the country can, averaging 43% from the arc this season. Small forward will be where it gets interesting. If Glenn Robinson III returns, as I believe he ultimately will, it will provide plenty of depth with the freshman, Zak Irvin coming in. Irvin and Robinson should be able to fill the spot nicely at small forward. If McGary comes back, as he definitely should, he can be the spark plug for them down low. Jordan Morgan will also return as a senior, and let's hope his offensive game improves.


Ultimately, the starting lineup for next season as I see it for the season opener: Spike Albrecht, Nik Stauskas, Zak Irvin, Glenn Robinson III, and Mitch McGary. On the bench, Derrick Walton will get a chance to play major minutes at the point. If he proves himself, he may be able to take over the starting role over Albrecht, that's assuming Albrecht doesn't shoot like he did in the National Championship all season long. Freshman, Mark Donnal and senior, Jordan Morgan can be the big men off of the bench to add height and defensive presence down low.

Overall, I don't think Michigan will be as bad as everyone is assuming next year. I think the freshmen will play well, along with the returning super-sophomores that they will have in Ann Arbor.

Comparisons of Russ Smith and Russell Westbrook

Louisville's Russ Smith has a shooters mentality
such as former UCLA standout and current
Oklahoma City guard, Russell Westbrook.
Picture Courtesy: zimbio.com

Besides having the same name, Russell Westbrook and Russ Smith of Louisville have amazing similarities. Westbrook was a quiet college player, averaging just 3.4 points per game in nine minutes as a freshman, and 12.7 points per game as a sophomore. Despite the small production in college, Westbrook sure produced as soon as he hit the NBA with the Oklahoma City Thunder, formerly the Seattle Sonics.

Westbrook was a decently explosive guard for the UCLA Bruins during his two year span there. In the NBA, his explosiveness hit a whole new planet. Westbrook is also a tremendous shooter, as is Russ Smith of Louisville. Smith is a junior this season and has really led his team to the Final Four, where they will take on Wichita State on Saturday. The knock on these two stars? They can both shoot the lights out of the ball, but when they're on cold streaks, they both continue to shoot and force bad shots.

Not only can Smith dominate on the offensive end, but also the defensive end by playing the passing lanes and forcing turnovers, as Russell Westbrook also does. These two players also do a great job of playing on-ball defense on the perimeter and denying the lane to the opposing stars and point guards. Smith is an undersized two-guard in college, but may be able to play some point guard at the next level. Westbrook was also undersized in college as a two-guard but is now in the NBA at point guard, and excelling at it.

The comparison between Russell Westbrook and Russ Smith are extremely obvious to me when I watch them play. The shooters mentality, playing the passing lanes, forcing turnovers, and providing the energizer for their clubs are all similar between the two, and as Smith moves forward, I believe the comparison may become more obvious.


Smith can certainly be a lottery pick in the upcoming NBA Draft this June if he declares for the draft. It's all up to him on waiting one more year, or taking the money now.

Northwestern's Basketball Program Looks To Take The Next Step

Chris Collins has spent the past 13 seasons with Coach K
and the Duke Blue Devils. Now, he has his first
opportunity to be a head coach, and turn around a
struggling program.
Picture Courtesy: Yahoo! Sports

Since the 1933 season, the Northwestern men's basketball program has yet to clinch a regular season conference championship. That stretch also includes zero NCAA tournament appearances since the tournament's establishment in 1939.

Following a 5-25 campaign in 2000 for Northwestern, in which they went 0-16 in the Big Ten, it was time to fire third year head coach, Kevin O'Neill. Following O'Neill's firing, came in Bill Carmody, the head coach of Princeton who was nearing 50 years old at the time. Carmody would go on to have quite a successful career in Evanston, leading them to their fourth NIT appearance in 2009. Carmody would lead the Wildcats to four NIT tournaments in a row in 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 until a highly disappointing final season in Evanston this year, going 13-19 and 4-14 in the Big Ten, which would ultimately lead to his firing.

Just a couple of weeks following Carmody's firing, Northwestern had found their next head coach. Chris Collins was their selection. Collins, a 38 year-old Duke assistant had spent a lot of time in the Chicago area during his father's (Doug Collins) tenure as the Chicago Bulls head coach from 1986-1989. Collins found his way into coaching in 2000 as an assistant under Mike Krzyzewski at Duke, and had been there ever since. Now, Collins gets his first opportunity as a head coach, and it's at Northwestern to take over one of the few struggling programs in the Big Ten.

Collins will take over a team recovering from a 13-19 overall record, and will learn quickly that nothing comes easy in the Big Ten, college basketball's most dominate conference. Northwestern may have an opportunity to knock off Penn State, Iowa, and Nebraska in the upcoming season, but we need to be realistic for the first couple seasons in Evanston.

However, Northwestern has a chance to be great in upcoming seasons. Recruiting will be the key in Evanston, but it shouldn't be difficult to get high school recruits to buy into Collins and Northwestern. After all, city kids love the Chicago suburbs as well as the lake shore campus and Lake Michigan beaches on campus. With Chris Collins' background in coaching and basketball knowledge, he'll look to turn the Wildcats program around from the past 80 year drought.

Overall, I see it as a great hire. This isn't a coach nearing the end of his career, or a coach with many different jobs in his past where this would just be another stop. Instead, Northwestern went and got a first year head coach with several years of assisting one of the best coaches, and best programs in the country. Collins, who is just 38 years of age, will turn Evanston into his home for several years down the road, and will look to turn the program around. In Northwestern's eyes, it's not going to be a one year turn around, so they went with the younger, and maybe inexperienced hire, but eventually, I see Northwestern making the NCAA tournament within the next few seasons for the first time in school history.

Sources: Michigan Stars Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway Jr. Will Declare for NBA at Season's End

Michigan point guard, Trey Burke

It was just a few days ago that Michigan had clinched their spot in the Final Four for the first time in twenty years. However, that honeymoon phase may come crashing down on the Wolverines. As of today, a few sources have announced that the Michigan guard outlook may change dramatically at season's end with the report of sophomore point guard, Trey Burke and junior teammate, Tim Hardaway Jr. leaving for the NBA. 

Burke was the leader for the Wolverines this season, averaging nearly 19 points and 7 assists per game. Burke was also selected as Big Ten Player Of The Year this season, along with a great chance at winning the Wooden Award as the top player in the country, which will be announced tomorrow at noon. The 20-year old is projected as the top point guard in the draft and a mid to late lottery selection in the NBA draft.

Hardaway Jr., the son of former NBA star, Tim Hardaway Sr. was another large part of the Wolverines success this season. Hardaway averaged 15 points and 5 rebounds a game for the Wolverines. The 21-year old star is projected as a late first round pick, but his stock may rise due to the Final Four appearance of his Wolverines.

Looking forward to next year for the Wolverines, they will have another top point guard recruit in Derrick Walton of Chandler Park Academy to turn into the next superstar in Ann Arbor. Another top recruit is Mr. Basketball in the state of Indiana, Zak Irvin. Irvin played with Gary Harris for one season in high school, before he graduated and left for Michigan State. Irvin is a 6 foot, 7 inch small forward who can score from any area on the floor.

The Effect of Social Media On Athletes

Yuri Wright, a prime example of the Twitter downturn.

Most of us have learned how to deal with social media by now, both in positive and negative ways. However, that is most of us, but there are still many people, including athletes, that have not learned how to control their emotions and feelings.

Many athletes in today's day and age are tweeting things that will not only hurt them now, but also hurt them down the road. Several of them tweet racist, sexual, and/or obscure things, which colleges can see and monitor. Some colleges may not have a problem with it, but many do.

Just take the situation of Yuri Wright just over a year ago. Wright was a top high school cornerback from New Jersey, who found out just how fast scholarships can disappear from tweeting and social media. Wright was being recruited by some of the top division-one football programs in the country, including Michigan, Rutgers, Notre Dame, and Colorado. However, there was one thing that these colleges disliked about one of their top recruits, and it was his social media usage. There were several instances where Wright would tweet racist or sexual things, which led to several warnings from the school officials. Several sexual tweets were seen on his account, such as sexual tweets which will not be repeated, but other racist tweets about his dad driving by members of the Jewish religion, and splashing them in the face with water. One tweet later, and he was expelled from his Catholic High School in Ramsey, New Jersey, and had several of his college football offers withdrawn. Michigan stopped recruiting Wright, who ended up at Colorado after taking his Twitter account off of the internet.

This is just one prime example of how crucial Twitter and Facebook are to colleges, whether you're a division-one athlete or not, it can really come back to haunt you. Catching up with family and friends is one thing, which is how most people use their accounts, but instances like these teach you how to keep your mouth shut and emotions in check.

Another example of Twitter being a distraction for big time college athletes is the fan tweeting, or negative tweets to the player after poor performances. After positive performances, you'll get positive responses from fans. Which tweets do you respond to? If you only respond to some, the fans who did not get a response view you as cocky. Social media is what leads to the downturn of several current, or soon to be, college athletes, and it needs to be properly handled.